Number 27

In the afternoons the lambs are coming down off the fields on the other side of the river to graze in the woods. Each lamb has a number written on their which correspondences with the number on its mother. This is number 27.

Yesterday afternoon a ewe must have lost it footing and got her fleece caught in the barbed-wire. She on her feet, but  was well and truly stuck. I only realised there was a problem because her lamb (not number 27) was bleating frantically. I armed myself with a pair of scissors crossed the river and went up the bank and over the fence. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the time to take my camera. Pity as the lamb was black and very cute. 

As you can imagine the ewe didn’t like me being so closer to her and her lamb, but I had no choice. To stop her from bucking and doing more damage I stood astride her head (pretty good for an ex-city boy) and when she calmed down I cut her fleece free from the wire (there is a massive clump left behind). Once she was free I stood back and let her and the lamb scarper back up the slope and into the open field. I don’t think they will be back this way soon.